We grant our first scholarships to young people without economic resources of Nicaragua

University For All has managed to finance the first year of University to five young people with lack of economic resources of Nicaragua, successfully initiating U4all Scholarship Nicaragua Project.

The granted students can now study for a degree at the Universidad Autónoma de Nicaragua (UNAN-León), one of the most prestigious public institutions in the Latin American country, and with which University For All has signed a collaboration agreement.

In Nicaragua, the poorest country in Latin America, only 12% of young people get access to the University due to lack of financial resources (percentage lower than countries such as India, with 13%)

The 60% of the population lives in poverty and the literacy rate is 78%, one of the lowest in the continent and the world. Although primary education levels are higher, between 70 and 90%, in secondary education more than 55% of Nicaraguan adolescents, 15 to 18 years old, leave the studies forced to work to support her family.

Mario Sebastian, one of the students who received the scholarship U4all Nicaragua, comes from a community of Siuna township, North of Nicaragua and more than 300 Km away from the University, where there is no electricity or running water, neither resources to get them: “The work of my father is not granted, and when he hasn’t it, it’s very hard for them”, commented in his letter of motivation.

Carla, another scholarship student, is from the city of Bluefields, 380 kilometers from Managua, and is hoping to pursue a career in medicine: “One of my biggest dreams is to help those in need and give my full support to our citizenship get good health and there is a better social development in our country, and I think the best way to make this work is by becoming a doctor.”

Author: Enrique Ortega Truque